PAPATOETOE NEWS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 643, 21 June 1921, Page 10

PAPATOETOE NEWS.

town board business. FORTNIGHTLY M:JET ING. A meeting of the Papatoetoe Town Board was held on Tuesday evening, Mr A. W, Hall, presiding. There were present: Messrs Watson, Biyant, Geo. Smith, S, McCullough, A. U. Timewell, and Death. Owing to the slackening off of roadworks the Board was pursuing a policy of enconomy after the lines taken by various other ‘ local bodies, including the Manukau and Waitemata County Councils, and had reduced the working staff by two men during the winter months.

A letter was received from .'residents in Wentworth Avenue drawing attention to the fact that a straying horse had been»a naisance recently, damaging hedges and loosening or breaking wires on fences on both sides of the avenue. The footpaths had also suffered from the depredations of the equine It was reported that the trouble had been ended, as the ranger had since been cut to the district and took the hose back with him to the pound.

A railway lease was submitted for the signatures of tire members of the Board.

It was reported that the Hospital and Charitable Aid levy amounted to a sum of £304. A notice of motion was given to strike new rates next meeting,

Accounts amounting to £77 were submitted and passed for payment. Members’ business was then brought forward, and 'some discussion took place concerning the money market, arising out cf a statement that the bank overdraft rate was at the present time 7 per cent.

Foreman’s Report,

Work on the roads had progressed favourably, though showery weather had ’caused some lost time.

It was reported that the watertable on Station Road had been cleaned out and the road had been patched with scoria in weak places, after being reformed. Kolmar Road had been repaired with scoria wherever necessary. A crossing had been put in at one part of Rangitoto Avenue to make the new road safe for wheel traffic. Wyllie Road was also patched with scoria in some of thb worst places. Concerning Wallace Road, it was reported that the waiier-table had been cleared out and a cess-pit* fitted in position to let away the suiiace water.

Work i/ 1 con lection with the Crushing of spawls in Puhi Nui' Road had been completed. Scoria had been spread on a portion of Portage Road, and the men had started work in connection with the formation of 3 footpath in ’ Coronation Road, after the Works’ Committee had made an inspection. The matter had been brought under the notice of the Board by a petition from the residents, submitted at the previous meeting. *

It was further reported that, materials were ready to commence kerbing by the station.

Borough Petition.

The. petition that is being circulated in the district, asking for the formation of the Papatoetoe Town District into a Borough, is ‘being largely signed. An effort was beingmade to obtain at least four hundred signatures, and some days ago that figure had .almost been reached. Since then further signatures have been appended, and it is considered that the preliminaries are being carried through in .a highly satisfactory manner. Many residents in the area, that is regarded as being essentially the town, are enthusiastic in' their support of the forward movement, as they realise that the increased power that- will accrue to the local governing body will lead directly to a number of natural benefits that are, as it were,, beyond the ken of a Town Board, limited and hampered as ft is by rules and regulations. It is realised that the sooner the change is made to the status of an advanced municipal body the sooner will those benefits be obtained.